america is beginning its third century. we have a new president, jimmy carter. we also have two new senate leaders, robert byrd and -- honoraryy, i'm an member of the west virginia state society. i have worked for robert byrd and rockefeller. i came face to face with byrd in writing this book. as many of you know, senator byrd was truly a remarkable story. the senate has always had its share of wealthy people, but it has also had people that have come from ordinary circumstances or from poverty. no one ever can further than robert byrd. he was born in north carolina. his mother died shortly after his birth. he was raised by his mother's sister. he was renamed robert carlyle byrd. he grew up on the edge of poverty. his rise was astonishing. he was driven primarily by this incredible will that he had and thirst for education. he was embarrassed to did not finish college, so he finished law school instead. he went on and on. the idea of senator byrd as majority leader of the senate is quite remarkable. he came into the senate with the great class of 1958. they set